Mattress-support



Patented sept. 21,11520.

` F. LMONKS.

MATTRESS SUPPORT.

- APLICATION FILED NOV- 3. 1919.

BY ff AT ORNEYS titions.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

FREDERICK I. MONKS, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

MATTRESS-SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept, 21, 1.920,

lApplication led November 3, 1919. Serial No. 335,394.v

To all whom# may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK I. MoNKs, citizen of the United States, residing at Houston, in the county of Harris and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mattress-Supports, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful imrovements in a mattress support.

ne object of the invention is to provide a resilient mattress support, designed to take the place of the ordinary spring now in common use and it is formed of inflatable units arranged to be inflated by the use of air, hot or cold water or other similar iiuids.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, arrangement of parts and use, an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein: p

Figure 1, is a plan view of the device and.

Fig. 2, is a transverse sectional view, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to drawings wherein like numerals of reference designate similar parts in each of the figures, numeral 1 refers to the bottom of the frame Work, said frame work having the side members 2, 2, and the end members 3, 3. The frame work, also has a plurality of lengthwise-ribs 4, 4 spaced apart and forming par Between these partitions are the series of inatable units 5, which are preferably spherical in form and are composed of elastic material, such as rubber. The units of each series are connected by tubes, such as 6.

vEach row of units is independent of the i others, so that the' support may be made of any desired width Acorresponding to the width of the mattress 7, which is supported thereon. Each row of units is provided at one end with an inlet valve 7, so that the inflating fluid may be introduced into the units to inflate them and when so inflated they are of a size to hold the mattress a safe distance above the partitions 4 as illustrated in Fig. 2. Either air or water may be used to inflate the units 5 and in some cases hot water will be used, when the device is used for hospital purposes. When water is used to inflate the units, an outlet valve as 8 is connected to each row of units at'the end opposite the inlet valve 7, so that the water may bereadily drained therefrom, and when hot water is used as an inflating fluid a much thinner mattress will be used than that in dicated in Fig.'2, so that the patient will obtain beneficial results from the heat.

What I claim is:

AA mattress support including a framework formed with a bottom, side and end members, lengthwise ribs extending transversely between the side members and spaced apart, forming parallel compartments, said side and end members extending up above the partitions and forming a mattress retainer, a series of inflatable units arranged in each compartment, said units being formed of elastic material, fluid conducting tubes connecting the units of each series, a fluid `inlet and a ,fluid outlet connected to each series of units and valves controlling said inlet and said outlet. V

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

` FREDERICK I. MONKS.

Witnesses:

E. V. HARDWAY, R. M. SMITH. 

